Annandale Reformed Church New Life Community s1
Annandale Reformed Church New Life Community
CONNECTIONS
Web Site: www.annandalereformedchurch.org
Our Mission Statement
We are a family in Christ called together by the Holy Spirit to serve God in our community. We are placed here to worship, to nurture and serve, and to make the joyous life in Jesus Christ more accessible to our neighbors.
June 2017 Vol 27, No 6
7
Property Update
The Property Committee met with the Architectural Firm of De Blasse & Seminara and they have sub sequentially been to the church, made measurements, took pictures and took all of this back to their office where they will put together some options for us to look at that can make our facility A.D.A. compatible.
We took the first step, now we are waiting to learn of our options so we can take the next step. Of course, this will take time, but like the saying goes, “all good things take time:
We are excited to find out just what our options might be and as we move forward we will keep you up to date.
On the Day of Caring, we will be taking pictures of all of our equipment that we have listed on our insurance policies as suggested by our agent. Not only did we think this was a good thing to do, we also thought it might be something each one of us should consider doing of things that we have insured. If you had a loss, you have documentation to show the company exactly what it is that you are making a claim for.
We have not been able to meet with the electrician to get all the light bulbs in the sanctuary replace/cleaned, and to have him trouble shoot the problem we have with the light in the sign that is on some times and then another time is out. We are hoping to connect with him shortly.
The boiler issues have been resolved and the painter should be in sometime in the next month to touch up places that have chipped and also to make the necessary repairs to the areas that were damaged with the issues we had with the boiler. (We have two separate quotes for this work, one we will pay and the other the furnace company will pay.)
June 1, 1866 to June 1, 2017.
51 years ago today this church was founded!
STAY HEALTHY.
We want you all to keep healthy. Don’t forget we have the hand sanitizer on the back table for your use.
Kid’s Korner
In May we learned that we can be Super Hero Christians, we honored our mothers for Mother’s Day, we demonstrated how God’s love can break hate with our bubble wrap and on Memorial Day we honored our Veterans.
June will bring our final 2 weeks before summer vacation!!! We will have a tug of war and then I will present you with my end of the year gift for allowing me to spend this time with you. It was an honor to grow and learn with you and I hope that you look through your remember boxes and go over what we discovered together.
At the end of this newsletter is a page to color to help you remember to be God’s light throughout the summer.
Worship
You may have noticed that our new confirmands have been taking part in our worship service. Two come up each week to draw the names from the Faith Family Prayer Jar.
Reminder:
THE MAGIC BANKACCOUNT
THE AUTHORIS NOT KNOWN. IT WAS FOUND IN THE BILLFOLD OF COACH PAUL BEAR BRYANT,
ALABAMA, AFTER HE DIED IN 1982
Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in yourprivate account for your use. However, this prize has Rules:
The setof Rules:
1.Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away fromyou.
2. You maynot simply transfer money into some otheraccount.
3. You mayonly spend It.
4. Eachmorning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another$86,400 for that day.
5. The bankcan end the game without warning; at any time, it can say, Game Over!" Itcan close the account and you will not receive a newone.
What wouldyou personally do?
You wouldbuy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, butfor all the people you love and care for. Even for people you don't know,because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself,right?
You wouldtry to spend every penny, and use it all, because you knew it would bereplenished in the morning, right?
ACTUALLY,This GAME is REAL
..
Shocked ??? YES!
Each of usis already a winner of this *PRIZE* We just can't seem to seeit.
The PRIZEis *TIME*
1. Eachmorning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift oflife.
2. And whenwe go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited tous.
3. What wehaven't used up that day is forever lost.
4. Yesterday is forevergone.
5. Eachmorning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account atany time WITHOUT WARNING...
SO, whatwill YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Thoseseconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, becausetime races by so much quicker than you think.
So takecare of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoylife!
Here'swishing you a wonderful and beautiful day. Startspending....
"DON'TCOMPLAIN ABOUT GROWING OLD!" SOMEPEOPLE DON'T GET THE PRIVILEGE!
Ladies’ Society
The Women will be having their annual covered dish luncheon at the church on Monday, June 12th at 12 noon.
All women of the church are invited.
Recipe of the Month!
Shared by Peg Weightman
Hot Dog Casserole
1 can drained and rinsed sauerkraut - put in bottom of 9 x 13 Pyrex dish.
1 Pkg. hot dogs - par boil until hot - slice longways so you can open them up - do not cut all the way through - open them up and lay over the sauerkraut
Mashed Potatoes - enough to fill open hot dogs (approx. 4 cups)
Grated sharpCheese - sprinkle over mashed potatoes
Bakeat 350 degrees about 30 min. uncovered
Education
June 4th some of our newly confirmed will be singing in the choir! Children's Day is June 11th! Please join us for our special Worship Service led by our Sunday School.
We will show you a peek of what we have learned this year and the students will be recognized for their accomplishments. They will also be hosting Coffee Hour with goodies and cake!
This concludes our Sunday School year BUT all children are welcome and encouraged to attend Worship throughout the Summer
.
Thank you to everyone who made this another great year!
Missions
For the summer months of June, July and August, we will be collecting donations of goods for the Open Cupboard Food Pantry and local animal shelters, such as St. Hubert's. Designated bins are located in the Narthex.
We also sent a $100 check to Star 99.1, the Christian radio station in central NJ.
The items needed for animals are:
paper towels
old towels and blankets
hand sanitizer
pet food
Nylabone chew toys
squeaky toys
catnip toys
cat litter
laundry detergent
bleach
dish sponges
unscented baby wipes
disinfecting wipes
new cat and dog beds
Thank you in advance for your support, and please contact Barbara Vogel if you have any questions. .
Father’s Day
June 18th
Father's Day is celebrated worldwide to recognize the contribution that fathers and father figures make to the lives of their children. This day celebrates fatherhood and male parenting. Although it is celebrated on a variety of dates worldwide, many countries observe this day on the third Sunday in June.
Happy Father’s Day!
The First 100 Years
We pick up where we left off in the April issue.
The church was without a pastor for eight months, after which the Reverend Martin Luther was installed on May 6, 1918. It is noted in the Consistory Minutes of October 7, 1918 that one Paul Luther, son of the pastor, be recommended to care of Classis as a candidate for the ministry. The former pastor, Rev. Furbeck, had also supplied a son, Howard, to the ministry. Rev. Luther served the church until July 1, 1921. For the following eleven months, the church pulpit was filled by supply preachers. On June 1, 1922, the Reverend G. I. Robertson was installed as pastor. During Rev. Robertson’s pastorate, a Men’s Chorus, consisting of fifteen voices was formed, the Junior Choir was formed, a Boys’ Group was formed, and a Men’s Brotherhood was begun. On October 21, 1921, a Fifty fifth Anniversary Celebration was held. A newspaper account of the historic event reported a large number of people in attendance. The Revered Henry Bacon Allen, former pastor of the church, addressed the congregation, and the Reverend George I. Robertson, present pastor at that time, preached the sermon, entitled “Looking Forward”.
On November 30, 1925, an Inaugural Organ Recital was given on the newly-installed Muller Pipe Organ. The organ was a gift to the church by the members and friends. The names of sixty-one subscribers to the Organ Fund appear in the program, eight of the subscribers having donated the sum of one hundred dollars or more.
The Reverend George Robertson left on December1, 1926 to accept a call to the Throggs’ Reformed Church. Again, the church sought a pastor. The Reverend Chester A. Moore was secured following his graduation from seminary. Rev. Moore was ordained and installed in June, 1927. For those who might care to recall, a play entitled “Ten Nights in a Bar-Room’ was presented at the church in August, 1928. Proceeds from the play were forwarded to a group known as the ‘Anti-Saloon League’. The Junior Choir was re-activated by Mrs. Moore, who first chose the name “Rainbow Choir’. Mr. Gordon McConnell kindly assumed the direction of the choir on his return from World War II.
During the early thirties the church, along with the greater part of the nation, was in financial trouble. Mention is made many times in Consistory minutes of the pastor’s salary going unpaid. On April 5, 1932, William H. Hackett, a member of the congregation, appeared before Consistory to be recommended to the Classis of Raritan for care as a candidate for the ministry. The Senior Christian Endeavor Society was formed during Rev. Moore’s pastorate. The only records from this group to be found is the Roll Book, dating from January, 1936. Mention of an Intermediate Christian Endeavor Society was found during Rev. Robertson’s pastorate. The Christian Endeavor Societies are now disbanded.
On Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28, 1936, the church observed it Seventieth Anniversary. More than two hundred and fifty people were present. At this time, the Women’s Auxiliary numbered nearly 100 members. Again, on Sunday, June 1, 1941, the church celebrated an Anniversary of its Seventy-fifth year. The church listed 225 communicant members at this time, 128 of these active.
On May 3, 1943, Rev. Moore resigned to become pastor of the Reformed Church of New Hyde Park, Long Island, New York. Sincere regret at Mr. Moore’s resignation was expressed n a letter from the Consistory. A seminary student, Richard Beving, was secured for that summer. His position as student supply pastor was extended by congregational vote until May, 1945. On June 3, 1945, following his graduation from seminary, Mr. Beving as ordained and installed as pastor. Reverend Beving served the church until his resignation on September 8, 1947, when he accepted a call to become pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Osceola, Iowa.
Following the resignation of Revered Beving, Rev. Garrett M. Conover, formed member of the church and at that time, Stated Clerk of the Classis of Raritan, presided at meetings of Consistory and was of great help to the church until a new pastor could be secured. Rev. Conover died just two years ago (Not sure of date of this accounting of the history of this church) in High Bridge at the age of ninety-eight.
The Reverend F. Alvin Langwith was secured as pastor and was installed on July 8, 1948. Revered Langwith came to the church from the Middlebush Reformed Church. Shortly after his coming, Reverend Langwith began instituting some visible changes in the church. Fresh flowers appeared to enhance the service of worship. During 1948, the chancel was enlarged, new carpeting was installed, and the flooring was repaired in the sanctuary. A new Bible was place on the pulpit. The basement received new wiring work. On June 24, 1956, the church again held an Anniversary Celebration, this one of its ninetieth year. At this service, a pair of candlesticks were presented by Mrs. Howard Philhower, great-granddaughter of charter members.
On June 15, 1958, a call was extended to the Reverend Robert M Runge. The call was accepted, and Reverend Runge was installed as minister of Sunday, September 21, 1958. During Rev. Runge’s pastorate, extensive renovation work was one in the Lecture Room. This renovation greatly enhanced the teaching facilities of the Sunday School. The kitchen also received needed attention at this time.
Search
The Pastoral Search Committee has been working very hard to find a candidate who can lead this Faith Family for a long time. Many of you know that since about 2001, this church has had 3 ministers, John Arnone, Sam Pomper, and Ken Lobb.
It has been over a year now since Ken's untimely death. As a committee, we do not want this Faith Family to have to endure this process again, any time soon.
Our objective is to find the kind of leader who will be with us for many years. The committee will be interviewing a potential candidate early in June. If Classis and Consistory agree, and if the candidate can negotiate a mutually agreeable compensation package, then this long and difficult mission for this committee will be over, and a new leader of this Faith Family will be made known to all.